Kitties, Lattes, Quesadillas, and Good Vibes!

Would you look at these two? They just love the cuddles! This is Chunk and Kanye being as cute as possible.  Chunk likes to sit on the cabinet thing-y that I painted while I'm in the kitchen. I feel like he wants to cook so badly! He is very intrigued by kitchen shenanigans. Sometimes he'll even jump on the counters just to offer his help. It's very cute, and I just can't get mad at him. He feels like I need his help in the bathroom also. He like to stand in front of me and the bathroom mirror. And he also like to show whatever is on the counter who's boss.
I know I've talked about sometimes struggling with the desire to just say eff it, and have a beer and a cigarette. Well, yesterday was one of those days that reminded me why I don't want to go back to that unhealthy way of living. It was a rare sunny day in Seattle, like I'm talking barely a cloud in the sky. I was starting to forget what the sun looked like, and I was definitely feeling as grey as the sky. I had get some kitty supplies, and the store isn't really that far from my house, so I decided instead of standing around waiting for the bus, why not celebrate the beautiful day and walk home. I just felt so great as I was walking. The air was fresh, the sun was out, it's November and I wasn't wearing boots or gloves, it was AMAZING. You know the moments in Disney movies or happy musicals where someone bursts out in song, and all the little critters are safe and happy, and they join in? Well, I felt that way. I just felt so happy, and my body felt so good and strong walking, and I just felt super alive.
I realized how glad i am that I have chosen this healthier life, and I want many more days of feeling like this.
I needed that feeling so much! I know I'm on the right path, but I guess I needed reassurance. I stopped at Starbucks on my way home(don't judge!) because it was the kind of crisp day that screamed coffee! Now that I don't drink coffee on the reg., sometimes a craving hits and I let myself give in. I tried one of their newer flavors, chestnut latte. I asked the barista if the syrup was vegan, and she looked at me for like at least ten seconds with a blank expression, and asked me to repeat the question. It was not a good start to the visit. She informed me that the syrup is vegan, but it comes with whipped cream which of course could be left off. When did lattes start coming with whipped cream? I was a barista at several coffee shops and whipped cream always was reserved for mochas and hot chocolate. Anyway, I was slightly nervous to go through with my order because I didn't feel like I had clear communication. But I ordered it anyway, with coconut milk. It's not as sweet as some of the other "creations"they come up with. It had a deep, kind of nutty flavor that was very enjoyable.
I probably won't have another this season, because I got the smallest size, and it was still over five dollars! Hurt me. I did look it up when I got home, and as long as you get no whipped cream this drink is vegan with plant milk.
I made a delicious quesadilla for dinner and served it with guacamole, salsa, and some hot sauce!

I filled the tortillas with a mixture of refried beans, fire roasted corn, and tomato cayenne Chao cheese. So satisfying! It's another inexpensive meal that feels much fancier!
I'm going to call Trader Joe's this morning to see if they have the holiday roast in. Fingers crossed they do, because I'm super excited to do a battle of the vegan roasts!
Happy Saturday!